The Character Yumi
by akat16
Summary: Chapter 4 is up! Yumi has a character design that shouldn't even exist, but what does she know about the Key of the Twilight?
1. Default Chapter

The Character Yumi  
  
Introduction  
  
Though this may be a .hack//SIGN fanfic, that doesn't necessarily mean that it includes the characters Tsukasa, Mimiru, etc. In watching the series, I noticed that they never show anything outside the game. This fanfic goes into the depth of the players outside the game "The World". Most of the characters and events are directly related to personal role playing I myself have done, so all characters are © Allison Cagle (myself of course!) Note: On account I have finals this week, I don't have a lot of time to work on this. After May 22, I'll be able to type on this more. I often like to make small comments about what I write, so periodically, you might see (()) and those are my comments. They have no actual part in the story, but I just think they're funny little things to put in. I hope you enjoy the story.  
  
Day 1  
  
Near a root town, on a dirt path with a mildly wooded forest on the east (left) and the root town itself on the right walks a girl with long blue hair that fades to light sea green halfway down and tightly braided down to her feet. She wears a leather corset with a white undershirt and puffy sleeves at the top (like a pirate!), and denim pants and light brown leather boots that go halfway up the calf of her leg. Her bangs have a white streak, and she has purple-bluish eyes. A long scar runs down the left side of her face, and her eyes are cold. She carries a large scythe on her back, a katana at her side.  
She walked lightly and leisurely down the path, as though having all the time in the world. She looked up at the sky.  
  
"I wonder if anyone will come today for me?" she asked herself almost sadly. "When they come, they usually come for one of three things..I wonder which it will be today."  
  
She entered the root town, as she turned she revealed large, angel wings (not small and fake like Subaru's, but real ones). She folded them at her back and looked around the root town. As she turned to leave, a young wavemaster stopped her to talk to her. "Excuse me, Miss. I was wondering if you knew the player called Yumi." She sighed and nodded, "Yes, I do. What do you need of her?" "Well.." he looked at the ground, "I was wondering if she might know where one of the rare items was hidden." She rolled her eyes making sure his head was down thinking "Well, there's my answer for today." She shook her head softly, "No, I'm afraid she doesn't. She never has. I'm sorry." The wavemaster looked crestfallen. "Thanks anyways." He turned and went back into the town quietly. The girl just watched and said to herself, "Why does everyone want to know about those items..I got them all already, so they're not there anymore.." and hung her head a little scratching the back of her head kind of annoyed. "Why did I ever agree to join up with those guys anyway?" She turned and continued on her way.  
  
Day 2  
  
((From the author) For now, as of lack of time, energy, and the fact it's 2 in the morning before I have to take finals, I will use my name as the OOC Yumi. After I have more time and thought, I'll change it. Thank you.)  
  
Allison took off her visor thingie and stepped from her terminal and looked at her clock.  
  
"8 in the morning.I've been up all night." She sighed and hopped on her bed. "I just won't go to school. Those teachers know what I went through. They'll let me be excused."  
  
Soooo she slept, and slept..aaaaaannnd slept.  
  
However, she was rudely awakened by her friend, Dj. "Allison, wake up..now. You gotta log back in, something big's going down," he said blandly.  
  
She rolled over out of the bed and landed on her feet annoyedly and crawled back to her terminal and logged in as Dj just stood and watched.  
~*~ Yumi was logged in and looked around, but was suddenly bombarded with emails from the administrators. "Okay, okay! I got it..I'll look for this guy." She then mumbled under her breath, "Not my fault you can't take care of one wavemaster. Why is this my business?" she looked at the sky boredly and walked to her usual root town where everyone knew her and was welcomed with "Hey Yumi!" (("Norm!" lol)) She sat in the tavern and looked around as ((the character)) Dj logged in. "So," she began without looking up at him,"this Tsukasa fellow is making the admins mad, and they take it out on me." "I know, Yumi, I know. But somebody's gotta find the guy before he screws the game up."  
  
"No..it's not our problem. It's the admins. I'm just a player, not their lacky like the Scarlet Knights and Subaru. I'd rather just stay with my character's occupation." She looked at the ceiling. "But you don't HAVE an occupation..you just take whatever job you see that day."  
  
"Well, it's my choice, not yours. Just let me be a fighter for hire, and I won't fight you, Dj." She turned and smiled at him softly. 


	2. Hotaka the Weaponsmaker

Disclaimer:: Allison does not own .hack//SIGN, the Japanese mountain Hotaka, Kuja (or FF9 for that matter), Ashram or Record of Lodoss Wars. If she did, she'd be rich and not write for fanfiction.net.  
  
Allison/Narrator:: uh.yeah.new chapter.AHHHHHH!!! Dropped the pita bread! No more typing and eating at the same time! Anyhoo, last time we left, Yumi, the "supposedly" hacked character was telling Dj to shut his pot hole or she'd beat the crap outta him (but she said it in a NICE way..) Anyhoo, we know Yumi has secrets, sooo..let's find out what they are! (it'll be a few chapters)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After several minutes of unimportant discussion, Yumi walked outside to sit on the roof. She looked up at the sky thinking quietly to herself. She listened to the sounds of the artificial wind blow through her long hair. After a short time, something caught her eye. She looked down and saw a knight (the kind that Bear is, can't remember what kind) walking to the tavern. He entered, and didn't come out for a while. Yumi, curious about the player, jumped off the roof and walked back in herself. She saw the player and Dj talking at one table and decided to join them. When she did, however, Dj walked off and the player held out his hand for her to shake.  
  
"Hi. I'm Hotaka."  
  
Yumi shook his hand hesitantly looking at him oddly as if sizing him up. He was a scrawny player, but carried a large hammer. He looked like he carried it for show and not actual use. Yumi sighed now annoyed at that thought. "So what is it you need?"  
  
Hotaka blinked. "How'd you know I needed something?"  
  
"Because," Yumi said with an as-a-matter-of-fact voice as she plopped down in the chair Dj left, "people always need something if they're looking for me around here."  
  
"Oh.." Hotaka smiled. "Well, I need someone to fight for me. You see, this man named Gaichi has been threatening me, but I'm only a weapons maker, not a fighter. But he won't leave me alone. He wants me to make him a weapon."  
  
"Then why don't you just make it for him and be done?" Yumi looked up at the ceiling.  
  
"Because if I do, it'll be the most deadliest weapon in the game. I don't want to be responsible if the weapon is misused."  
  
Yumi nodded. This sounded logical to her. She understood what that feeling was like. She knew it well.  
  
"Well..I guess I could. Only for this, I'll do it for no money, but you better give me a favor in return." Was all she said before getting up and walking over to DJ. "He isn't a bright one, is he?"  
  
Dj laughed softly and shook his head, "No, indeed he isn't..but you agreed, so you have to do it now."  
  
"Yeah, I guess I do." Yumi shrugged and walked outside thinking she'd get to be alone, but soon found Hotaka had followed her.  
  
"You know..I don't think I've ever seen your character design before..in fact..I don't think it's in any of the databases."  
  
Yumi's eyes turned cold and hard. "It's not. Now keep your mouth shut about it. I don't want the admins' lackeys on me right now."  
  
Hotaka blinked and just looked her over as she stood still looking off blankly, her eyes returning to normal with her mind wandering off the subject.  
  
She really didn't want to talk about that subject. She had been with the admins personally since the very beginning of "The World", even when it was in the makings. But no one was supposed to know that but her, but somehow DJ found out. She didn't know how he had, but it didn't matter now. She had told him from the start once she found out he knew that he couldn't tell anyone, even if it might even decide the fate of her character.  
  
"You thinking about something, Miss Yumi?"  
  
She blinked, "huh?.. No.. No I'm not. Just about how to help you."  
  
"Oh.. okay." Hotaka smiled softly to her, but she turned her head and stood up dusting her leather corset off.  
  
"Well, Hotaka, I have to go back in and talk to DJ about some other business. If you'll excuse me. When I come back, we can discuss a payment for these services." She nodded and walked back inside and told DJ she was logging out of the game. She needed some real sleep, away from "The World."  
  
"I understand, Yumi, love. I just wanted you to know about the whole thing with the "Tsukasa" character. Would've been rough if you didn't know something about it and the admins cracked down on you, wouldn't it?"  
  
"Yeah..It would have. But I don't have to worry about that, now do I? You'll protect me won't you?" She smiled and leaned in close to him and gave him a quick kiss then walked out the back so she wouldn't have to speak with Hotaka. She walked to the nearest chaos gate, and logged out of "The World."  
  
DJ watched her and whispered to himself, "Yes..I will protect you.." then went on his own doings of gaining experience points and fighting before logging out himself later that night.  
  
----------------------------*---------------------------------  
  
Allison:: wOOt!! Yay! I finally got this chapter done! Took me fifty million forevers! Too bad it's so short..  
  
Galena:: Yeah..you and your stupid work. I don't know how you can stand kids every single day.  
  
Allison:: Hey, it's better than having no art supplies, right? If I didn't have those, how could you have come into existence, eh? Tell me that one!!  
  
Galena:: er.. *silence*  
  
Allison:: Anyhoo, I need some advice about this Gaichi person. Should he be a bad-ass genius like Ashram or Lynx? Or just a power hungry insane person like Kuja from FF9? Tell me! 


	3. Remembering Dreams

Chapter 3  
  
Disclaimer:: blah blah..doesn't own..blah blah.hack//SIGN..blah blah..wishes she could  
  
Allison:: Disclaimer, are you tired?  
  
Disclaimer:: Hey chick, I only talk about the stuff you don't own. No talkie.  
  
Allison:: Okay..  
  
::~When uncertain and in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout~::  
  
~~*~~  
  
9:00 am~~  
  
Allison sat in class the next day, exhausted and almost unable to keep her lids from falling. Her work she had missed from the day before in her algebra two class was spread before her on the desk. She looked down at the confusing jumble of third roots and squaring fractions. She ran her fingers along the red inked lines that spelled her name of the worksheets and copied notes. She barely understood any of it, in fact, numbers confused her. She could make html codes, and unravel encoded messages, but simple adding and multiplying she was unable to comprehend. She did her homework, stayed after school for help, and studied, but none of it helped at all.  
  
"Allison?" came a raspy old woman's voice.  
  
Allison looked up alertly at the old teacher who the voice came from. "Allison..I know you've had a hard time this past year, what with your father leaving and.. other things, but that's no reason to be daydreaming in class when you actually are here. Now, tell me what I just said."  
  
Allison took a deep breath, "The radius is half the diameter which goes through the middle of a circle. A circle has no corners, therefore is not a polygon of any kind. To find the circumference, you multiply pi by a the radius squared. If you don't put squared on the results of the answer, you get no credit." She then sighed heavily and slumped in her seat.  
  
Her teacher was taken aback, recomposed herself and went back to the front of the class to her overhead and went on with teaching. Allison had quoted her perfectly, though she had no idea what she just said. She sighed again and continued her thoughts of "The World." She had wondered since the day before about the Hotaka and Kuja character and what she should do about it. Since the day before in this class was a new skill, she really didn't have to answer any questions. So she was left with her mind's wandering in peace.  
  
Her mind slowly drifted from these thoughts to her own past. The experiments, her parents' deaths, the move, everything seem to flow like a video with no music in her mind. She remembered each thing vividly as it passed, but she felt no feeling towards the image of her parents' coffins being lowered into the ground. Nor did she feel any pain in leaving her old friends to move where she currently lived. The experiments held some significance to her, but not much at the moment. Her teacher's voice began to trail off slowly as Allison found her back seat view of the overhead had begun to blur a little. She soon found it nearly impossible to keep her eyes from closing.  
  
~*~  
  
A small child of around twelve years old ran into the middle of the street chasing after a ball. Her shoulder length brounette hair bounced round her face as she ran, but then abruptly stopped. Two men in black business suits stood before her.  
  
"Are you Allison?" a masculine voice boomed from above her.  
  
"Y-yes.."  
  
"We need you to come with us," was a different, softer voice, but still manly. "You can't live alone. You need to stay somewhere until you get old enough to live alone."  
  
The small child just nodded and walked with the two men as the image faded into another.  
  
A large laboratory type room held a large chair, with a glass covering over it. The chair looked as if it could hold an entire human body in it, fully clothed, with the casing over it. The door to the room opened as a girl of about 16 entered and smiled up to an observation window and got inside the chair closing the casing. Above the chair was a screen. The girl put a visor over her eyes as the lights in the room dimmed as the screen showed a game's opening sequence. It was the opening sequence for a game "The World."  
  
A voice came through on the intercom," Now, Allison, remember, this is just a test run of the game. It doesn't matter if you get a game over. Just think of designing a character." On the screen, codes soon turned into a game character, a girl with long blue hair, with a leather corset, white under shirt, with denim pants, and knee high boots with frayed overlay. "Good, good," as the man watched from the window," now..try an environment.."  
  
Within minutes, an entire green field was created, with trees here and there, and a dungeon entrance leading to dark corridors. Around the field were yellow orbs with monsters or treasures lying inside. The scientist was baffled at the complex creation. He gawked wide eyed at the imagination of the girl. "Well..That's very well done, Allison. Very well done. I think that will be all for today." He began to walk out of the room.  
  
"Shouldn't you save the current data onto a memory card?" The scientist stopped and smiled down through the glass. "Yes..Yes you're right." He went to the desk computer and saved all that Allison had done that day. In that one hour, little did Allison know, she had created the entire mainframe for what was now played as "The World."  
  
~*~  
  
A sharp twang came onto Allison's desk, the twang only the sound of a ruler in the hands of an angry algebra two teacher could make. Allison shot straight up and repeated everything she could possibly know about algebra two that she could remember at the time. Thankfully, for her sake, the bell rang. She had slept through the entire hour. She gathered her books quickly and left the room before her teacher could say a scolding word to her.  
  
While walking in the hall, deep in thought of her recurring dream, her head turned quickly hearing her name. Behind her was Dj himself calling her. He jogged to catch up to her, then walked her slower pace to keep up with her. "So, Allison..are you going to be on tonight? I'm thinking of going to a higher field level and may need your help. What do you say?"  
  
Allison just looked up at the ceiling while she walked. "I'm not sure..I guess I need to settle that business with Hotaka the weapons maker don't I?"  
  
"Yeah, you do. When I left, he was looking for you wondering where you went."  
  
"I guess I will be then. I'll take care of him first, then help you, how about that?" She smiled at him softly knowing her offer would require him to help her first.  
  
"Yeah..I guess I'll wait for you then. Talk to you tonight, Allison." Dj waved, then went on his way to his next class while he left Allison standing alone in the hallway. She had no other classes at the time, she had study hall. She decided it might be best for her health and mind at the current moment to go ahead and check herself out to go home. 


	4. Sleepless

Chapter 4  
  
Disclaimer:: she doesn't own nothin', hear me?!  
  
Allison:: uh..yeah..o.O  
  
::Love is blind, but when it is darkest, that is when one can see the clearest::  
  
~*~  
  
4:00 pm ~~  
  
Allison sat, half slumped in a short, kind of stubby khaki chair with canvas sides and back. She had her right elbow rested on the arm of the chair, her chin rested on her hand while the light from a computer screen played with the features of her face and highlighted her dark brown hair falling in front of one eye. She watched the screen carefully, and quietly, while she tapped one foot lightly. Her eyes darted from one window to another, she never typed, never moved the mouse. She just sat watching the windows. She sighed as the pace of her foot quickened. She soon gained an impatient look in her almond shaped brown eyes. She was waiting for someone, Dj.  
  
Suddenly, her slouched figure almost jumped as a sound emerged, the sound of mail. She leaned forward pulling her chair up to the computer and began clicking and typing faster than most students in her school, even the all- out gamers had nothing on her speed. Her eyes darted to and fro as she seemed to fly over the keys.  
  
As she read the screen, her eyes filled with the joy of happiness, but then she slumped back into her chair disappointedly. On the screen read - "Dear Allison, Sorry, won't be able to make it. Lots of chores, exam tomorrow. I'll make it up to you. Good luck with Hotaka. Dj"  
  
She sighed and scratched the back of her head thinking. "Well.I'll be..he stood me up.." She sat for some time, then stood and went to her bed. She lay on the covers staring upward at the ceiling. Her dark, brown eyes scanned every inch of the white paper tiles, or what she liked to call the "mystery substance" as it appeared not to be ceramic nor cardboard. Many a night had she counted all the dots that were placed randomly on every tile, and had lost count at over two million, four hundred thirty eight thousand, nine hundred and twenty six. Since she had lost count, as well as her place, she just stared at them all blankly and sighed.  
  
Her night was a storm of tossing and turnings, pulling her blankets with her with every roll. Images flew past her mind of the lab, a flash of light. The next image was that of a dead boy whose head was lying in someone's arm, another flash, and then a girl screaming with the game visor over her eyes. "Code red! Code red!" Alarms went off, flashes of red light.  
  
Allison shot up from bed; her alarm had woken her from the dream. She sat in silence for a moment before putting her head in her hand, "Why can't I remember.." She got up from her bed and sighed walking to her kitchen in the next room. She fixed herself something that really required no cooking. She carried it on a plate back to her room and sat setting the game visor on her eyes. She logged in and found herself at Mac Anu. She looked around at the other players and sighed walking to the bridge and leaned her elbows against it looking down.  
  
The simulated reflection of herself meant nothing to her, nothing she touched meant anything. The only thing that did to her was the consciencenesses of the people playing the game. She watched them from the corner of her eyes, and listened to their conversations. It seemed nowadays, that's all she did. She sighed again looking down, seeing a barge- like boat float out from underneath the bridge - It was Subaru, Lady of the Scarlet Knights. She "tsst"ed and followed the boat to where it docked and leaned against a pillar watching the amazement, then sudden anger appear on the Knights' faces.  
  
"Pipe down, I'm not here to mess up your precious 'Lady' Subaru or anything. Just wanna talk, s'all," was all Yumi said waving one hand.  
  
Subaru looked at Yumi then nodded to the Knights walking to her, the two girls walked a little away. Yumi resumed her leaning against another pillar and crossed her arms while Subaru seemed content to simply stand. Her small voice seemed to move the air, "So..what is it you wish to speak with me about?"  
  
"What have you heard about this 'Tsukasa' character? He seems to be causing a big ruckus."  
  
"I am unsure of his whereabouts, nor do I know about his problem. I simply know that the Silver Knight had to restart his game after being attacked by Tsukasa."  
  
"Hmm.I may be able to find something. But note that I'm not doing this to help you, or the Knights, or anyone. This is for myself."  
  
Subaru stared at her for a moment as if thinking then nodded, "I understand." With that, Subaru turned and went back to the Knights while Yumi watched with narrow eyes. She sighed staring downward with closed eyes ignoring the fact a player was staring at her from afar. Finally, she opened one eye looking to the bridge, a Heavy Blade with dark skin and red hair stood watching. Yumi brought herself to her feet and walked to her, "I noticed you have an unsaid interest in Lady Subaru's actions."  
  
"N-no, I-I..I was just-" was all the Heavy Blade could stutter before silencing herself.  
  
After much silence, Yumi watched her, "Or perhaps, just an interest in me. Is that more on the money?" The Heavy Blade nodded silently. Yumi sat herself up on the brick rail of the bridge, "So..what is it you want to know. I need someone to talk to, might as well be you."  
  
"I..I head you say 'Tsukasa'..I was just curious how you know him.."  
  
"Only by name. Never met the guy. All I know is he's causing a lot of problems, and it's on mine, as well as, the administrators' shoulders. Subaru's trying to find as much information as she can about the situation."  
  
"And yourself?"  
  
"It really isn't my business, nor do I care. I'll let people do as they please."  
  
"Oh..Oh! I almost forgot, I'm Mimiru." The Heavy Blade held out one hand, and Yumi reluctantly shook it quickly, "Yumi."  
  
Yumi sighed and stared upward quietly, Mimiru thinking she was in thought. Mimiru then blinked to see Yumi walking to the Chaos Gate. "Hey! Where are you going?" she called out.  
  
"Somewhere you aren't," was all Yumi mumbled to herself. She gated to the Beta server and sighed sitting out of the way staring downward at the swirling mists and the lands beyond. She began mumbling to herself.  
  
"Why.why can't I remember." She kicked her feet softly muttering things. After a while, she stood staring off then gated to a field. When she got to the night-infested snowfield, she sighed and sat, leaning against a tree. "Alone..no one to bother me.." She closed her eyes remembering the images from her dream, and slowed them down, examining them one by one. She couldn't piece them together, couldn't remember. It was all a blank to her. She opened one eye and looked around, and saw there was someone else nearby, just staring up at the stars. She watched him for a long time, neither moved. She had discerned him to be a young Wavemaster, with browns and dark greens, with white hair. He seemed as removed from the world as she did. She looked upward and stared at the constellations with him for what seemed like hours.  
  
"..Tsukasa.." 


	5. Not a part, but needed to be said

Okay..I _swear _I will finish this. Just as soon as I have free time again. I've been so busy with classes and projects and communities, I haven't really had time to think about any of this. I promise, readers. I will finish this fic!

Kat


End file.
